I have tried to configure my kernel on a new installation for my home desktop and was successful in booting the computer. My issue is that my radeon driver
was being rejected at boot and defaulting to VESA. I have finally found how to compile the necessary drivers into the kernal successfully but when rebooting
the screen shuts off after the grub menu. The boot is successful otherwise and the drivers are recognized but I have to SSH into the computer to try to tweak the kernel.

Ultimately, I have compiled and recompiled the kernel for hours and feel like I'm spinning my wheels when I am sure it is something simple that I am missing.
I believe it has to do with the framebuffer support, but I don't know which option is improperly properly set.

soitgoes0745 ,
would be good to have a look at the kernel boot log as well.
I compared your .config against mine and found differences in the following lines.

Code:

#
# Frame buffer Devices
#
CONFIG_FB=y
# CONFIG_FIRMWARE_EDID is not set
CONFIG_FB_CMDLINE=y
CONFIG_FB_NOTIFY=y
# CONFIG_FB_DDC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_BOOT_VESA_SUPPORT is not set
CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_CFB_REV_PIXELS_IN_BYTE is not set
CONFIG_FB_SYS_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_SYS_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_SYS_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_FOREIGN_ENDIAN is not set
CONFIG_FB_SYS_FOPS=y
CONFIG_FB_DEFERRED_IO=y
# CONFIG_FB_SVGALIB is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MACMODES is not set
# CONFIG_FB_BACKLIGHT is not set
CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y
CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING=y

BTW, is you graphics adapter an AGP version?
edit: I understand that 5970 was only built with PCIe interface, so AGP options in
kernel config could be turned off?

As for the AGP version, I don't think so. I am not really familiar with this computer nor all the hardware. I am also not very familiar with configuring my own kernel. I have removed the entire AGP block since this morning and attempted to load ATI Radeon as a module and have had no success. At least with
the firmware built in my GPU is initialized and seen at boot which is a step in the right direction.

The boot time output above has "nomodeset" being passed into the kernel because I was getting tired of SSHing into the computer. If you would like to see it under the condition where my screen cuts off after grub, please tell me. I will probably go ahead and remove the nomodeset and capture dmesg post the screen blanking for reference.

Here is dmesg output without the "nomodeset" option being passed to the kernel:

to figure out what goes wrong during initialisation of the framebuffer we need the
kernel log where you are using kermel modesetting.
And in my opinion framebuffer code should be compiled into the kernel. As well as the
necessary firmware blobs.

sort of curious message at the point in time.
what ist totally missing is the initialisation of the framebuffer console.
so no surprise that the screen is blank.
currently I dont have an explaination for what you see. I would start
by turning off the VESA console first.

edith: OK, now I get it. HD5970 (Hemlock) is a dual GPU device.
so we see the intialisation twice, once for minor 0 device and again for
the minor 1 device.
but still, there is no framebuffer console initialised.

Last edited by theotherjoe on Wed May 10, 2017 11:36 am; edited 1 time in total

#
# Graphics support
#
# CONFIG_AGP is not set
CONFIG_VGA_ARB=y
CONFIG_VGA_ARB_MAX_GPUS=2
# CONFIG_VGA_SWITCHEROO is not set
CONFIG_DRM=y
# CONFIG_DRM_DP_AUX_CHARDEV is not set
CONFIG_DRM_KMS_HELPER=y
CONFIG_DRM_KMS_FB_HELPER=y
CONFIG_DRM_FBDEV_EMULATION=y
# CONFIG_DRM_LOAD_EDID_FIRMWARE is not set
CONFIG_DRM_TTM=y

#
# I2C encoder or helper chips
#
# CONFIG_DRM_I2C_CH7006 is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_I2C_SIL164 is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_I2C_NXP_TDA998X is not set
CONFIG_DRM_RADEON=y
# CONFIG_DRM_RADEON_USERPTR is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_AMDGPU is not set

#
# ACP (Audio CoProcessor) Configuration
#
# CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_I915 is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_VGEM is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_VMWGFX is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_GMA500 is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_UDL is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_AST is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_MGAG200 is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_CIRRUS_QEMU is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_QXL is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_BOCHS is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_VIRTIO_GPU is not set
CONFIG_DRM_BRIDGE=y

#
# Display Interface Bridges
#
# CONFIG_DRM_ANALOGIX_ANX78XX is not set
# CONFIG_DRM_LEGACY is not set

#
# Frame buffer Devices
#
CONFIG_FB=y
# CONFIG_FIRMWARE_EDID is not set
CONFIG_FB_CMDLINE=y
CONFIG_FB_NOTIFY=y
# CONFIG_FB_DDC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_BOOT_VESA_SUPPORT is not set
CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_CFB_REV_PIXELS_IN_BYTE is not set
CONFIG_FB_SYS_FILLRECT=y
CONFIG_FB_SYS_COPYAREA=y
CONFIG_FB_SYS_IMAGEBLIT=y
# CONFIG_FB_FOREIGN_ENDIAN is not set
CONFIG_FB_SYS_FOPS=y
CONFIG_FB_DEFERRED_IO=y
# CONFIG_FB_SVGALIB is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MACMODES is not set
# CONFIG_FB_BACKLIGHT is not set
CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y
CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING=y

#
# Frame buffer hardware drivers
#
# CONFIG_FB_CIRRUS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_PM2 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_CYBER2000 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ARC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ASILIANT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_IMSTT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VGA16 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VESA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_N411 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_HGA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_OPENCORES is not set
# CONFIG_FB_S1D13XXX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NVIDIA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RIVA is not set
# CONFIG_FB_I740 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_LE80578 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MATROX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_RADEON is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ATY128 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ATY is not set
# CONFIG_FB_S3 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SAVAGE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SIS is not set
# CONFIG_FB_NEOMAGIC is not set
# CONFIG_FB_KYRO is not set
# CONFIG_FB_3DFX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VOODOO1 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VT8623 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_TRIDENT is not set
# CONFIG_FB_ARK is not set
# CONFIG_FB_PM3 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_CARMINE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SMSCUFX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_UDL is not set
# CONFIG_FB_IBM_GXT4500 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VIRTUAL is not set
# CONFIG_FB_METRONOME is not set
# CONFIG_FB_MB862XX is not set
# CONFIG_FB_BROADSHEET is not set
# CONFIG_FB_AUO_K190X is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SIMPLE is not set
# CONFIG_FB_SM712 is not set
CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_LCD_SUPPORT=y
# CONFIG_LCD_CLASS_DEVICE is not set
CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_CLASS_DEVICE=y
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_GENERIC is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_APPLE is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_PM8941_WLED is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_SAHARA is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_ADP8860 is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_ADP8870 is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_LM3639 is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_LV5207LP is not set
# CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_BD6107 is not set
# CONFIG_VGASTATE is not set
CONFIG_HDMI=y

#
# Console display driver support
#
CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_VGACON_SOFT_SCROLLBACK=y
CONFIG_VGACON_SOFT_SCROLLBACK_SIZE=96
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE_COLUMNS=80
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE_ROWS=25
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y
CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_DETECT_PRIMARY=y
# CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE_ROTATION is not set
CONFIG_LOGO=y
# CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_MONO is not set
# CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_VGA16 is not set
CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_CLUT224=y

I really do appreciate it. I will scrutinize it some more in the morning. I'm sure the biggest problem is that this configuration is pretty new to me. I'm not used to having to know all of the minutia. Any way, thank you and I will update this post tomorrow on my status. I am just hesitant to start changing tons of stuff and forgetting what I did. But I backed up my .config and I'm taking notes. Hope I get it because VESA is not fun with an ultrawide monitor.

So, I attempted to use the Graphics support parameters provided to me by theotherjoe and I have the same result, a black screen almost immediately after grub closes. As before, the computer boots normally otherwise, my monitor just seems to go to sleep. If anyone can point me in the right direction or has any insight as to why my monitor goes to sleep and is non-functional I would be grateful.

Additional Questions:

- Could the fact that i'm using initramfs have any affect over this issue?
- I have a WARNING: Processor Platform limit event detected, but not handled. Somehow be affecting me?

Well I was able to make some headway with my issue. I can now boot without "nomodeset" in the kernel parameters by specifying a default resolution as well as a refresh rate in the
kernel parameter:

Code:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="video=1024x768@60"

My issue now is getting the xorg-server to start. The screen goes black as soon as I startxfce4. All radeon drivers were loaded correctly at boot and are being recognized by X. Hopefully
it won't take too long to figure out. If there are any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

Since nobody else wants to chime in let's carry on:
I would suggest that you get rid of some kernel commandline
parameters.
The kernel log shows the current kernel command line which is applied
via grub. You can find a copy of the command line almost at the top of the
kernel log.
Have a look at /boot/grub/grub.cfg (looks to me as if you are using
grub2) and find the following string

No dice. That was really the only parameter I had changed to allow it to boot. I read that grub defaults to a certain refresh rate and so I just set a lower rate and hoped it worked which it did.
I can live with that in my parameters if it works and there are no long term effects. I'm just happy it worked.

As far as the Xorg.0.log, I have not been able to find anything wrong and the drivers are being recognized as they should. All of my resolutions are also being seen which I was able to see from:

Code:

$ DISPLAY=:0 xrandr

So, it is probably another issue with refresh rate because I had it working with the vesa driver but since my screen is 3440x1440, the result was a stretched mess. I will close this thread
being as my drivers not being loaded was the main issue. Hopefully, I will work out the xorg issue tomorrow.

I really appreciate all of the help. If you have something else which could help, please let me know. Thank you for the graphics support .config also because I am using the same settings now.
So thank you, thank you theotherjoe.

Regards

Last edited by soitgoes0745 on Thu May 11, 2017 3:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

you are welcome, soitgoes0745.
regarding your console not showing w/o the video paramters,
could be that console cant handle EDID information coming from
your monitor and thus cant sync in a proper way.
I wouldnt expect any long term effects from your video parameter,
60Hz is sort of refresh rate standard for lcd/led panels.